


Keep Her Safe

by Azeran



Series: Sharp and Duff Chronicles [3]
Category: OC shipping, Original Work, Zombie Apocalypse - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Read at Your Own Risk, features shattered feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-24
Updated: 2013-09-24
Packaged: 2017-12-27 12:04:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/978641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azeran/pseuds/Azeran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tension thick and cold in the air, Sharp sighed. No point putting it off. She already looked nervous, like she knew where this was going. Probably didn’t, but the worry was enough to eat her alive. He hated that. Fuck, he hated everything about this. His fingers twitched against her smudged skin, and Sharp raked them up and through her hair. “Duff--it’s a hazard. I know it. You know it.” They slipped free from the thick mass, pain etched in his absinthe gaze. “It’s gotta go baby….”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep Her Safe

**Author's Note:**

> One back-story tidbit you should know. Duff's mom used to keep her hair long and princess like, 'cause she loved playing with it. After her parents died in a car crash, Duff never cut her hair again, save for trimming the tips and bangs. The bulk of it she refuses to hack off. Keep that in mind while reading. 
> 
> This was also inspired by an rp me and my friend Mells had. Hence her status as co-author, though I changed up some things from the rp. Features our OC characters, Sharp and Duff, during a zombie apocalypse. Yup.

Zombie apocalypses automatically spell bad news. But it wasn’t the zombies they had to worry about today, or the sickening despair. Fuck, even the worry of finding food was out of mind, because as Sharp nudged Duff’s shoulder, silently glancing out the boarded up windows, something a lot more hideous reared its ugly head. Necessary evils, cloaked with black strands. “Duff.” He got her half on her back and leaned over, giving her forearm a little shake. Goddamn, he didn’t wanna do this. “Baby…..c’mon. Wake up.” 

“Ngh…fuck. Go away.” lashes trembled, but didn’t quite open, and she smacked at him with a little groan. Yeah. Duff had never been much of a morning person. The apocalypse changed a lot of things, but not that. Sharp just waited patiently, or as patiently as he could. And, sure enough, the brunette cracked open a pale blue eye all of her own accord, rolling towards him on the thin nest of blankets and jackets splayed out across the floor.. “…Those bastards better not be pounding at the door,” she grunted, taking the hand he offered her. “…one good night’s sleep. That’s all I want. Too much to fucking ask?”

Cute. Couldn’t say he blamed her. A good night’s sleep was rare coming these days. Sharp grimaced. He wasn’t about to make her day any better either. “We’re ok for now. No infected, no hunters.” Hesitating, he squeezed her fingers. “But, uh……babe. We need to talk.” 

Duff yawned, letting him help her sit up. “What about?” Even as he pulled her close and toyed with the ends of her hair, inky locks looped around his calloused fingers, she kept a lazy smile. Shit. If only she knew. If only she fucking knew. “Sounds pretty serious.”

“….Kinda is.” He got to watch that smile fade to curiosity, then worry, suspicion clouding her pale gaze. Having a distrustful girlfriend could really be a pain in the ass. But, she was right. This time anyway. Duff had every reason in the book not to trust him, and it showed as she squirmed a little, antsy beneath his hands. Sharp sucked in a breath, cupping her cheek. Damn. “You know I just want you safe, yeah?” 

“Yeah.” Apprehension clung to her tone. Nudging his palm with her lips, Duff frowned. “Same for you. So what though? That’s why we watch each other’s backs. Remember? You look out for me. I make sure your dumb ass doesn’t get eaten. We can’t get much safer than that, Sharp. Not anymore.” 

Yeah they could. She could. And he’d do anything to make it happen. “That’s my point here babe. We watch out for each other. No matter what. We do what we’ve gotta to stay alive….even if it hurts.” Tension thick and cold in the air, Sharp sighed. No point putting it off. She already looked nervous, like she knew where this was going. Probably didn’t, but the worry was enough to eat her alive. He hated that. Fuck, he hated everything about this. His fingers twitched against her smudged skin, and Sharp raked them up and through her hair. “Duff--it’s a hazard. I know it. You know it.” They slipped free from the thick mass, pain etched in his absinthe gaze. “It’s gotta go baby….” 

At first, she didn’t get it. Confused, Duff stared at him, wordlessly trying to comprehend what he was getting at. But she wasn’t stupid, and just like with the worry, he got to watch her expression cloud over with anger, and worse. Pain. Goddammit. Sharp knew the backlash was coming. That’s why he didn’t take it to heart when she smacked at him and jerked away, protests hot on her tongue. “NO! Not happening! The fuck were you thinking? No!!”

“I know, I know.” Palms up, he tried to get close. Like soothing a beast. Not easy, and dangerous as fuck. “Look. You know I wouldn’t have suggested it if there was any other way. But…..it’s so long. What if one of them grabs you, and I couldn’t get them off in time? Anything could go wrong Duff. You know that better than anyone.” Sharp reached for her, rasping a hand up her arm. “I can’t risk it…”

Duff ripped it away. “Yeah, well, I can! I‘m NOT cutting my hair!”

Stubborn. Sharp didn’t have time for this. He sympathized, yeah. Duff’s hair was the only tie she had left to her parents. Specifically, her mom. Cutting it was practically fucking sacrilegious in her book. But it was too damn risky. With hair that long, that thick, anyone could grab her. Zombie, hunter, whatever. One hit, and she’d be dead. He couldn’t always be there. That’s why, “I’ll shave mine. Babe, anything! But we can’t risk it.” The weight of the world teetered on his shoulders, shown in the deep bags under his eyes. Sharp caught her before she could pull away again, fingertips eating into her skin. She struggled, lashed out, anything to get away from what they both knew was the inevitable. He wasn’t backing down. Not on this. Not when he’d lost so much already. “…..Duff, please. Do it for me. I can’t……I can’t lose you too.” 

Fury had stained her cheeks pink, a tirade hot on her tongue. “It’s MY risk! Not yours! I’m the one who--” the words strangled themselves, and Duff looked in shock, a faint trembling possessing her limbs. “That……fuck,” she went perfectly still in his hold. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t see the tears in her eyes. Recoiling as far away as she could, her lips quivered. “…..That was low, Sharp….” 

The unspoken how could you smashed into his chest, just like Duff’s beloved baseball bat. He did, and didn’t feel guilty. He fucking hated causing her pain, making her cry. Yet he wasn’t gonna risk losing her. He couldn’t handle that. “Sue me,” Sharp grit. “I’m not losing you. Kick my ass if you wanna--” he sought out her eyes, fighting her attempts to look away and clasping the side of her neck. She looked damn well ready to cry. Goddammit. “You gotta understand…..” 

Ready to cry. Understatement. There were tears trickling slowly down her face, too many for him to just brush away. “Babe,” Duff choked up, roughly biting her lip. Anger wavered in her voice, synchronized with its twin, misery. “…It’s my hair. I can’t cut it. I can’t! I’ve never cut it!! Not since I--since they..” 

Since they died. He knew, all too well. Peeking at the window, Sharp pulled her to his chest and soothingly kissed away her protests. It hurt like a bitch to hear them, when he knew the pain he was causing her. Fuck, she was gonna hate him for all this. Probably for a long fucking time. He had to though. He had to, and the words spilled forth, desperate and pleading. “You can Duff. You can do it. It’s ok. Your mom……she loved you, yeah? She loved everything about you, just like I do. Not just your hair.” Pushing a piece behind her ear, he flinched, trying to intake a calming breath. “She loved your eyes. Your nose. Your cute little freckles. She loved how stubborn you are. Hell, I bet she loved your sarcasm too.” Her face fell, in every sense of the word. Nail on the head. “Baby--” Sharp caught her chin in a firm grip, barely keeping his own tears in. “You really think she’d want you to risk your life like this? All for the sake of some hair?”

If they weren’t already in hell with this whole damn apocalypse, Sharp was pretty sure the look she gave him would’ve earned him a first class ticket straight there. He’d never seen her so dejected. So hurt. Shit. Ultimate goal be damned, he’d said the wrong thing. Or the right one. Whichever it was, he had a feeling the benefits weren’t necessarily gonna outweigh the misery. “Duff….I-” 

“Fuck you.” She turned her back to him, making a pathetic noise. “I’m not cutting it. You want it gone so damn bad? You do it.” Duff curled her legs up, hunkering into herself like a terrified kitten and tossing her hair over her shoulder. It wasn’t a pretty sight. Not at all. Sharp touched her back, trying for comfort, but all it got him was a muffled curse and smack. “You fucking do it.” Nails stabbing her knees, she jammed her eyes shut. “I--I can’t. I won’t!”

What could he say to that. What was he supposed to do? “…Ok.” The dark strands soft against his skin, he pushed them aside and kissed her shoulder. Sharp felt her start crying then. The tears and sobs jostled her entire body, which he grabbed in a tight hug, wishing he could see her face, but kinda glad he couldn’t at the same time. It might break him, seeing what he’d done to her. “I’ll do it.” He reached for his backpack. All he had was a switchblade. He hoped it worked. “Whatever makes this easier for you.”

Hpnotiq eyes shot wide, fixated on the blade as he snapped it open. They glowed with anger and tears, icy hot pools. “Shut the hell up Sharp.” She fisted the ebony strands in a loose ponytail and held them taut, mulishly avoiding his stare. “Get it over with.” 

“….Yeah.” Kinda afraid she was gonna lash out at him, Sharp moved closer, taking the bundle of locks and nervously touching the blade to them. “You want a blanket or something?” Anything at all to ease her suffering, if only a little. But she just curled up tighter, refusing a caress, every inch of her screaming spite, agonizing terror. He prayed she didn’t panic. They didn’t need that right now. “Deep breath babe. Ok?”

Duff’s nails scratched the floor, gouging the dirty wood. “Fuck the advice and tender bullshit. Get it over with already.” 

The knife shivered in his hand. Him talking wasn’t really helping, was it? Duff was nervous enough. He needed to get this over with, and fast. “Right.” Glancing from it to the strands he held, he kissed the back of her head and started cutting. When the serrated edge first bit through, both of them balked, Sharp’s eyes following the long piece of black drop to the floor. It was joined by another, then another still, a tedious and slow as hell process that he knew had to be fraying her already shattered nerves, if not actually hurting her. But the switchblade was shit, and he could only do a few pieces of hair at the time. Didn’t help that he was doing a damn hack job. “It’s ok.” Bullshit. He said it anyway, appeasing his girl in any way he could. All the while, her fingertips slid closer; Sharp could see the wood chipping, splinters catching under her nails. Warning sign to hurry the hell up. 

Seemed like forever had past when he finally finished, the final clump floating free from its former home to droop over his hand like some kinda pelt. Staring at it, he swept them all together over to the side and dropped the knife, watching Duff for her reaction. It was……….not pretty. She reached for her hair, and at first her fingers slid through open air. They went higher, higher, each time missing, until Duff finally got to the chopped off locks, all ragged and barely touching the nape of her neck. “Oh……shit.”

Sharp put up his hands, ready to grab her if he had to. Panicking was bad no matter what, but what if a zombie heard them? What if a fucking hoard--shit. “Breathe,” he palmed her forearm and waist, protectively invading her space. He had to keep her calm. “Everything’s gonna be fine. Keep breathing.” She paid hm little mind. Her focus was on the mess that had once been her hair. Thick, haphazard, hanging limp and dull around her pretty face. Like he’d cut a vital piece of her life force. Fuck. In a way, he had…hadn’t he? 

“You did it.” Pinching a strand, the brunette tried to pull it before her face. Didn’t work. It was too short. If she hadn’t freaked yet, then she damn well looked like she’d do it now. “Oh fuck. You actually did it!” A shaky laugh let loose. “I-I haven’t cut my hair since…it’s always been long. She….liked it that way.” Fingers twitching, Duff twirled a black curl. “So did I…….but it’s fucking gone now. You--you cut it!” 

“Duff….” Worth it. Not worth it. It was gonna keep her safe. She wouldn’t get hurt. He wouldn’t have to lose her. But at what cost? Sharp wasn’t sure, and he caught her hands as she made to comb them through the shortened locks again, hugging them to his chest. “I’m so, so sorry.” 

Her arms slumped. Every fiber of her seemed to simply--give up. Stop fighting. What, exactly, he wasn’t so sure. It made him nervous though. “Yeah,” Duff muttered, “sorry. Sure. Just like you said, right? It was a hazard. It had to go.” Pain dripped from every vowel, harsh in their vexing repetition. Too tired to argue, bitterly accepting what he said at face value. She didn’t agree though. Sharp knew it, almost as well as he knew that she was facing a potential breakdown. If it wasn’t already battering down the door. It showed in the haunted look staining her pale blues, the taut line of her mouth. The shuddering gasps that ravished her from head to toe. Fuck. Sharp wanted to avoid her coming undone, if it was even possible. He wanted to protect her. Not break her. 

“Duff, listen to me.” He stubbornly clutched her to him, lifting her onto his lap. She elbowed him, tried to get free. Sharp held tighter, leaning her back against the crook of his arm and pinning her cheek between his chest and palm. It was wet with tears, spiky hair clinging to her pale skin. Pushing them away with the tips of his fingers, he kissed her full, scowling lips, softly speaking. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry we had to do it. I’m sorry you’re hurting. I really am.” Feeling a fist take hold of his shirt, he covered it with his hand. “…..But I’m not sorry if it means I get to see you every morning, safe and sound.” Right in his arms, where she belonged. She was all he had in the entire world. The one thing he couldn’t handle losing. In this hellhole, all he wanted was for them to be together, battling the hoards and more dangerous survivors. Duff watching his back, him hers. That’s all. Was it so much to ask for? 

She listened to him, dead silent. Sharp thought she might start to calm down, got his hopes up even….. 

“…….Fuck off Sharp.” Unable to escape his hold, her wriggling accomplishing nothing, Duff stubbornly buried her face in his shirt. Hot tears soaked through in no time at all, and he was left with a dejected, sobbing mess in his arms. Half the shit she said in between sobs, he couldn’t understand. Yet she kept fiddling with her hair, lips wet and shoulders violently trembling. Didn’t need a much clearer picture than that. 

“……yeah. I know Duff. I know. It hurts.” Smoothing the cropped hair away from her cheek, every inch of her freckled, beautiful face was caressed, explored. Duff just stared dully at him, a shimmer of longing and torment casting ice over her eyes. It wasn’t what he wanted to see. But Sharp couldn’t stop himself from looking, watching her hairs tremble in the faint breeze siphoning through the window boards. Goddamn. And he couldn’t stop apologizing, while another part of him sang its joy, knowing she’d be better protected now. She’d be safe. With him. Yeah. “”I’m really sorry babe…….” shit, what had he done. Sharp pressed his lips to her brow, every little whimper and sob thunder to his ears. “I didn’t want to do it. I know your hair was really important to you.” His eyes were drawn to the cut locks, gathered in a mess of black tentacles on the floor. He winced, hiding his face against her neck, taking no pride or pleasure in the way she clung to him, legs drawn up on his lap. Even when her tears eventually receded, and the sobs stopped, Sharp kept hugging and kissing her smooth skin, aching. 

The damage was already done. All they could do now was move forward. Question was, could Duff ever forgive him? Was it possible? He sifted his hand into her short, blackened mass. His handiwork. Her pain. But forgiveness or not, pain or joy, she’d be safe. Duff would be safe. That’s what mattered to him most. 

Sharp sighed. At least, that’s what he was going to keep thinking.


End file.
